— Budgeting
Wedding Budget Calculator
Plan a wedding budget from guest count, per-plate costs, events, categories, and contingency. Build an estimate or allocate a fixed budget, then see total cost, cost per guest, funding gap, monthly saving, and guest-count sensitivity.
Total wedding cost
$2,200,000
- Cost per guest
- $8,800
- Catering
- $600,000
- Covered
- $0
- Funding gap
- $2,200,000
- Save per month
- $183,333
Try: 250 guests, mid per-plate, Trim to 150 guests, Allocate a ₹20L budget, Jewelry as an asset
— The budget allocation sheet
| Category | Typical % | Your amount | Your % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venue & decor | 20% | $400,000 | 20% | |
| Catering | 30% | $600,000 | 30% | from 2 events |
| Photography & video | 8% | $160,000 | 8% | |
| Outfits & attire | 8% | $160,000 | 8% | |
| Jewelry | 7% | $140,000 | 7% | |
| Makeup & grooming | 4% | $80,000 | 4% | |
| Music & entertainment | 6% | $120,000 | 6% | |
| Invitations | 2% | $40,000 | 2% | |
| Transport & stay | 6% | $120,000 | 6% | |
| Gifts & favours | 3% | $60,000 | 3% | |
| Priest & ceremony | 2% | $40,000 | 2% | |
| Miscellaneous | 4% | $80,000 | 4% | |
| Contingency | $200,000 | 10% | 10% buffer | |
| Total | $2,200,000 | 250 guests · 8800/guest |
— Per-event breakdown
| Event | Guests | Per plate | Catering | Other (pro-rata) | Subtotal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding | 250 | $1,200 | $300,000 | $800,000 | $1,100,000 |
| Reception | 250 | $1,200 | $300,000 | $800,000 | $1,100,000 |
— Where the money goes
Download— How it works
Catering = Σ (guests × per-plate) across events. Each category is allocated by its typical share — of your stated budget (allocate mode) or scaled from catering (estimate mode) — plus a contingency. Cost per guest = total ÷ guests. Funding gap = total − savings − family − loan.
The guest list is the budget
The single biggest lever on a wedding cost is the guest count, because catering scales directly with it — and in a multi-event wedding, every event feeds the list again. This calculator makes that relationship visible. Enter your guests and per-plate cost, set how many events you’re holding, and it builds the catering, allocates the other categories the way real weddings split, and divides the whole thing by your guest count to show the cost per guest. That figure is the most clarifying number in the whole plan: once you know each guest costs you a few thousand across the events, the sensitivity chart shows exactly what trimming the list saves — usually far more than cutting any single category.
Worked example — 250 guests, ₹1,200/plate, 2 events: Catering ≈ ₹6,00,000 (about 30% of the cost), implying a total near ₹20,00,000 with the usual category split and a 10% buffer. That’s roughly ₹8,000 a guest — so inviting 50 fewer saves close to ₹4,00,000.
Both directions, and the categories that matter
Couples and families approach a wedding budget from opposite ends, so the calculator does both. “Build an estimate” starts from guests and per-plate and works up to a total. “Allocate a budget” starts from a figure — say ₹20 lakh — and splits it across every category: venue and decor, catering, photography, outfits, jewelry, makeup, music, invitations, transport, gifts, the priest and a miscellaneous line, each at its typical share. The allocation sheet shows the typical share beside your amount and your own share, so you can see where you’re choosing to spend more than convention — outfits and jewelry are often the largest non-catering lines in an Indian wedding, and seeing that explicitly is half the battle.
Jewelry honestly, and funding the rest
One line deserves special treatment: jewelry. Unlike the catering or the decor, gold and stones retain value — they’re closer to an asset than an expense. Toggle “treat jewelry as an asset” and the calculator lifts it out of the spend total and lists it separately, so the figure you’re funding reflects money that’s gone rather than money that’s moved into a different form. For the rest, enter your savings, any family contribution and a loan amount if you’re financing: the calculator shows what’s covered, the remaining gap, the loan’s EMI and total interest plainly, and — given how many months until the wedding — the monthly saving that closes the gap. Not financial advice; costs vary enormously by city and community, so treat the typical shares as a starting point.
— Reader questions
How much does an Indian wedding cost per guest?
It varies hugely by city and style, but a useful way to think about it is total cost ÷ guest count across all events. Because catering scales with the guest list and most weddings hold several events, the per-guest figure is often a few thousand rupees — which is why trimming the list is the most powerful saving available. This calculator shows the cost per guest directly.
Should I build an estimate or allocate a budget?
Both are valid. Build an estimate if you know your guest count and roughly what you’ll spend per plate and want to see where it lands. Allocate a budget if you have a fixed figure and want it split sensibly across categories. Switch modes to reconcile what you want against what you can afford.
What percentage of a wedding budget goes to each category?
As a rough guide for an Indian wedding: catering around 30%, venue and decor 20%, outfits and jewelry together about 15%, photography 8%, with music, makeup, transport, invitations, gifts, the priest and miscellaneous making up the rest. The allocation sheet applies these and shows your shares beside them.
Why treat jewelry as an asset?
Because it largely retains its value — gold and stones can be sold or passed down, unlike the money spent on catering or decor. Treating it as an asset rather than an expense gives an honest picture of what the wedding truly costs you, separate from wealth that’s simply changed form. The toggle lets you see the total both ways.
How do I work out the monthly saving for a wedding?
Take the total, subtract what’s covered by savings, family and any loan, and divide the remaining gap by the months until the wedding. The calculator does this and shows the monthly figure, so you know what to set aside each month to close the gap in time.